Major League Baseball’s deadline for impending free agents to accept or decline their former team’s $17.8 million, one-year qualifying offers for 2020 passed at 5 PM ET on Thursday. Of the ten extended deals, just two players accepted.
As expected, Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler declined the qualifying offer. Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters on Thursday that he expects the Mets to continue having dialogue with Wheeler about keeping him in New York.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Jake Odorizzi, 29, accepted the Twins’ qualifying offer to remain in Minnesota for one more season.
The right-hander pitched to a 3.51 ERA (3.36 FIP) with 178 strikeouts, 53 walks, and 1.21 WHIP over 30 starts (159 innings).
Jeff Passan of ESPN confirmed that Jose Abreu, 32, also agreed to his qualifying offer from the Chicago White Sox.
Over 159 games last season (693 plate appearances), the Cuban first baseman hit .284/.330/.503 with 33 home runs, and AL-leading 123 RBIs, and 38 doubles while being named to his third All-Star team.
Left-handed reliever Will Smith — extended a qualifying offer from San Francisco after pitching to a 2.76 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 21 walks in 65.1 innings with the Giants last season — declined and signed a three-year with the Braves just ahead of the deadline on Thursday.
The other seven players extended qualifying offers — right-handers Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Wheeler, left-hander Madison Bumgarner, third basemen Anthony Rendon and Josh Donaldson, and outfielder Marcell Ozuna — all declined their deals, as well, making them free agents.
As per MLB guidelines, if/when any of the above-referenced rejectees sign with a new team, their respective former teams will receive a compensatory pick in this year’s draft and, potentially, international pool money. They are still permitted to negotiate and sign a new contract with their old teams, as well.
We’ll keep you updated with any new information as it becomes available.
